Vacuum sweeper



June 24, 1930. c. P. BROCKWAYG 6,424

VACUUM SWEEPER Original Filed Jan. 23, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR- Car/ Brock/way June 24, 1930. c. P. BYROCKWAY VACUUM SWEEPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 23, 1919 INVENTOR. Cor/ P Brae/(way ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL P. BBOGKWAY, OI IPA'IEBSON, NEW JERSEY, ABSIGNOB TO IND'I JSTBIAL Bil- BEABCH CORPORATION, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE VACUUH SWEEPEB Application filed January 38, 1919, Serial 80. 278,726. Renewed lay 14, 1827.

This invention relates to improvements in suction sweepers and particularly to im- 4 provements upon my co-pending, simultaneousl filed application, Serial Number 272, 27.

The princi a1 object of the invention is to obtain an e cient swee ing of carpets and other fabrics, particular y those having long nap. The usual suction nozzle in passing over a carpet for instance, as it ap roaches a given thread will attract the three and bend it backward, the thread following the suc-.

tion to a vertical position as the nozzle moves directly above it, and then bending forward as the nozzle moves away. Each thread therefore receives but one complete oscillation. With a strong suction this movement would probably be sufiicient to eifect a satisfactory cleaning of the carpet were itnot for the fact that threads behind the line of strongest suction are drawn forward at the same time that threads in advance of the line are drawn backward, thus producing toether at their outer ends a more or less ef ective barrier to the action of the suction upon dust particles embedded lower down in the car et. It is the object of my invention to pro uce a constant oscillation backward and forward, or otherwise, of the line or point of strongest suction, thus overcoming the difliculties just mentioned, and also causing the threads of the fabric to vibrate more or less rapidly, thereby loosening and dislodging the dust particles.

Another obj ectof the invention is the provision of means for moving the air inlet with respect to the machine as a whole without moving the nozzle.

A further object of the'invention is the provision of means for driving the inlet moving means from the revolving fan employed to produce the suction.

Other objects, and objects relating to details of construction, and economies of manu- Figure I is a top plan view of a suction sweeper embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a longitudinal section taken approximately on the line 11-11 Fig. I.

Fig. III is a bottom plan view of the machine.

Fig. IV is a vertical cross-section throu h the nozzle and oscillating shutter taken su stantiall on the line IV--IV Fig. II.

Fig. is a vertical cross section taken substantially on line V-V Fig; II.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

In the drawing, 10 represents the fan of the suction cleaner driven by an electric motor 11, exhausting into a dust collecting bag 12, a fragment only of which is shown in the drawing.

An air tight casing 13 surrounds the fan and is provided with a forwardly extending portion 14 constituting a chamber or passage through which air may enter the fan casin proper. The casing merges at its forward end into a nozzle 15 having on is lower side a mouth 16 arranged to lie in close proximity to the surface over which the machine is moved. The machine is supported upon traction wheels 17 mounted on an axle 18 positioned in brackets 19 secured to the bottom of the casing and upon a caster 20 mounted on the rear of the motor casing at the middle.

In the side or end walls of the nozzle there are located machine screws 21 which at their ends extending into the nozzle chamber are turned down to form smooth intles. Upon these pintles there is pivoted a closure or shutter consisting of a shutter plate 22, spider arms 23 and rock shaft 24. The shutter plate 22 is provided with an opening here illustrated as a slot 9 extending entirely across the shutter.

Fixed upon the rock shaft 24 is a small crank arm 25 to which motion is imparted by a connectin rod 26. The latter is driven by a crank shaft 27 mounted in the side walls of the casing. Thecrank portion of the shaft 27 is indicated at 28 in Fig. II of the drawing. U on the shaft 27 is fixed a worm gear 29 w ich is driven by a worm 30 mounted upon a shaft 31, the forward end of which turns in a bearing 32 secured to the casing and which preferably also constitutes the shaft for the fan 10 and the motor 11.

In the operation :of my invention the machine is moved by means of any convenient handle, not shown. The motor when set in operation turns the fan 10 to create suction tendin to cause air to move upwardly throng the mouth 16 of the nozzle. Except for a small leakage around the sides of the shutter plate 22 this air must pass through the slot 9. The slot, however, is constantly oscillating backward and forward, causing a corresponding movement of the point or line of suction, which serves to agitate the threads of the fabric being cleaned, thereby loosening the dirt, and which also serves to reduce reatly the tendency of the threads to form a arrier against the action of the suction at its strongest point.

I am aware that the particular embodiment of m invention above described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings is susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit thereof and therefore I desire to claim my invention broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a suction sweeper, an air exhausting means, a nozzle, a chamber connecting said exhausting means and nozzle, a movable shutter extending across the mouth of said nozzle, said shutter having an air inlet opening therethrough and means to produce a rapid succession of movements of said shutter with respect to the nozzle.

2. In a suction sweeper, a high speed rotary exhausting means, a nozzle, a chamber connecting said exhausting means and nozzle, a movable shutter extending across the mouth of said nozzle, said shutter having an air inlet opening therethrough and speed reduction transmission mechanism intermediate said shutter and exhausting means operative to produce a succession of movements of said opening with respect to the. mouth of the nozzle.

In testimony whereof, I aflix m signature.

CARL P. BRO KVVAY. 

